Previewing the match The Times of 11th November 1969 carried the following article:-

"Strong Springbok team to play Newport"

"The South African tourists have chosen their strongest available side for their first match in Wales against Newport tomorrow. Only five of the side did not play in the recent international series against the Australian touring team."

"The South Africans have the greatest respect for Welsh Rugby and Newport have a good record against recent touring sides. The Springboks who have not made a very good start to their tour are determined to do well in this match."

"Durand, Roux, Grobler, Neethling, who was a reserve, and Van Deventer are the only ones who did not play in the international series with Australia. The wing Syd Nomis plays his first match of the tour after recovering from a neck sprain."

"There are four changes from the side which finished the match against Midland Counties East on Saturday. Dawie de Villiers returns to captain the side. Frik du Preez, who toured Britain with the fifth Springboks, nine years ago, comes in at lock and Piet Greyling comes in at flank forward."

"The full back, H. O. de Villiers is still suffering from a hamstring injury and was not considered. This is a niggling injury which is hanging on and causing some concern to the Springbok's management."

"The prop-forward, Hannes Marias, who pulled a calf-muscle in Saturday's match will be out for two or three weeks, as will Jan Ellis who went off with a shoulder injury."

"The Newport full back John Anthony, who has missed the last two games because of a thigh injury, is fully fit again and will lead Newport against the South Africans."

"His deputy in the last two matches, the Wales and former London Welsh centre, Billy Raybould, changes to stand-off half, where he partners another former London Welsh player, Gwilym Treharne, who keeps his place after a good display at Cardiff on Saturday."

"Newport have named an unchanged pack including the wing-forward Keith Poole, the only survivor of their 3 - 0 win over the 1963 All Blacks."

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From the match programme:-

"A. J. PANTING, THE CHAIRMAN OF NEWPORT R.F.C."

"The eagerly awaited visit of South Africa to Rodney Parade will be the nineteenth occasion on which Newport has played a major Overseas Touring Team. Our tremendous record of having defeated South Africa, Australia and New Zealand and drawn with the Maoris, Kiwis and Australians speaks for itself. These are truly magnificent achievements for the Club in its ninety-five years of Rugby history."

"It is every player's ambition to represent his Club against the Wallabies, All Blacks or the Springboks, and whatever the final selection of the team may be, I know that fifteen dedicated men in Black and Amber jerseys will be trying to win even more glory for this great Club."

"We therefore extend a warm welcome to the South Africans, amongst whom we shall renew friendships with Avril Malan, Mof Myburgh and Frik du Preez, and make new friends with those players on their first Tour. They are all great Rugby men, and as such we hope the pleasure of playing against them at Newport will continue for another ninety-five years."

The match itself:-

Newport gained their fourth success over a major southern hemisphere nation and a second victory against the South Africans in this brilliant display against the strong sixth Springboks. It was the first time that the visitors had lost to any Welsh team since 1912 when both Swansea and Newport had won their respective tour fixtures.

Anti-apartheid demonstrations outside Rodney Parade were a major distraction before the big game but after the 22,000 had squeezed into the ground a feast of Black & Amber magic was served up.

Newport were superior in all facets of the game and rightfully deserved the fine win. Newport captain John Anthony was carried from the field 'shoulder-high' by his team mates after the battling performance he put in whilst playing through the pain barrier carrying an injury.

As is always the case in great victories the platform was laid up front where the Newport eight (with Paul Watts replacing John Jeffrey) dominated in the set-pieces and also out-muscled their opponents in the loose. This enabled the backs to have the time and space to carve open the much vaunted Springbok backline.

Wing Alan Skirving scored an early try for the Rodney Parade side. Shortly after half time Cornwall chased onto a kick though from Anthony to score a second which Anthony also converted. Two penalties from Springbok stand-off Visagie went either side of a further large range penalty from Anthony. Newport finished the match as comfortable 11 v 6 winners. Winning praise from Cardiff Athletic Club amongst many others!

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The Times of 13th October 1969 carried two reports. The first reported the match, the second reported the Anti Apartheid demonstrations that took place outside the ground, as follows:-

"South Africans still lacking in spirit"

"by U. A. TITLEY, Rugby Correspondent"

"Newport 11pts., South Africans 6"

"Newport have done it again, and collecting the scalps of touring teams has become with them almost a hobby. This time they beat the South Africans by a goal, a penalty goal and a try, to two penalty goals, and were splendid value for their victory."

"Which having been said, it was difficult not to have sympathy for the visitors, who are battling at the start of their tour not only with a crop of normal misfortunes, but also against things beyond their own control. Although two stoppages by spectators yesterday were affairs of only seconds, it was hard not to suspect that although the flesh was willing, the spirit, in the sense of natural anxiety, was weak."

"Newport themselves have had wretched luck this season in the matter of injuries and loss of notable personnel, but they played as though quite unimpressed by the fact. It was not until late in the game that the Springboks showed the sort of fire and unity that is expected of touring teams, and for a time they had Newport back on their heels. But that was just where the winners showed their quality, for at the end it was they who were attacking again."

"There was nothing airy fairy about this realistic match, and although the referee fluted gaily in French, he was undemonstrative and businesslike. The home forwards, of whom Poole was the sole remaining representative of the team that beat the All Blacks, were hard and single-minded, and in the first half particularly did well by their backs in the matter of giving them the ball."

"Treharne, at their heels, bore a striking, physical resemblance to his opposite number, the Springbok captain. He also looked well after Raybould, who seldom has played better, now back in his more familiar position after deputizing at full back while Anthony was injured. For his part, Anthony was equally adept at joining up with a lively three quarter line in attack, and making cool marks in defence."

"In the later stages the losers achieved some rhythm, knocking Newport out of theirs in the process. But Newport came again. The visitors' pack got more of the ball in the second half, and the back row, especially Bedford, did some fine work, with a shattering break or two by that deceptively fast old campaigner Du Preez."

"De Villiers made some passes of great length and speed, and his partner, Visagle, was again their most telling back. He has still scored all but three of the Springboks' points and he was initially responsible for those into the bargain. He kicked shrewdly and covered comfortingly in defence. If, in the last moments of the first period, he had kicked a comparatively easy penalty goal, instead of missing it, the teams would have crossed over level, with the losers thus not at a psychological disadvantage."

"On soft going the losers' backs lacked the pace expected of them, save on rare occasions, and Durand started distinctly nervously at full back, although a splendid catch and kick later gave him more confidence."

"Newport had the sun against them in the first half and a diagonal wind made judgement of kicking a bit tricky. Both faded in the second period. The first occurrence of note was a characteristic break by Du Preez which finished with the upending of Grobler near the home line."

"But it was Newport who managed the only score of the first half. After a sharp assault. Raybould got his line on the move., both centres made fast progress, and Skirving crossed in the lefthand corner, but too far out for Anthony to convert. From then until the interval, the emphasis was on Newport."

"There was a quick fire start to the second half with three scores in the first eight minutes. First Cornwall picked up the ball on the bounce from a South African mix-up and crossed untouched between the posts. Anthony converting. Visagie replied with a well kicked penalty goal from a wide angle. Anthony thereupon missing one attempt and kicking another penalty goal from the same angled position."

"For a time the Springboks nearly had the jitters, but recovered and Visagie lessened the difference between the scores with another penalty goal. For 10 minutes the visitors looked more like a Springbok team and twice they crossed the home line but were not allowed tries. Not for the first time it was too little and too late."

"Four hundred shouting, banner-waving demonstrators made their point, without violence, when the Springboks came to Wales today. And the Rugby men of Newport made their point too, with a magnificent victory - by 11 points to six, in fact."

"A solid wall of policemen held back chanting protesters as the crowd streamed into the ground. Spectators were jeered, hissed and greeted with shouts of "shame"."

"In the main it was a satisfactory day for everyone except perhaps the South Africans. The organizers of the demonstration declared themselves satisfied; the police kept the peace; Newport scored their fourth win over a touring side; and a big crowd of Welshmen, who know a thing or two about Rugby, enjoyed the match."

"The police security plan worked well. Leave in Monmouthshire was stopped and 400 men, plainclothes patrols, police dogs and six mounted policemen were on duty."

"The demonstrators dispersed at kick-off time. Inside the ground where a patrol had been maintained all day by club stewards, a strong force of police manned the touchlines and stood amongst spectators. Just after the kick-off a young man darted through the cordon and reached the centre spot but a steward and a policeman led him away."

"In the second half a demonstrator tried to reach the pitch, but he was grabbed."